Vapor electric apparatus.



P. G. HEWITT. VAPOR ELEGTRIG APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED APB-.3, 1912. 1 1,1 1&561 a Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

UNITED STATES PATENT cur os.

' PETER COOPER HEWITT, OF RINGWOOD MANOR, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, 'IO COOPER HEWITT ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Original application filed January 8, 1911, Serial No, 600,443. Divided and. this application filed April 3, 1912. Serial No. 688,173.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER Ooornn Hnwrr'r, a citizen of the United States and resident of Bin wood Manor, county of Passa c, State New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vapor Electric Apparatus, of which the following i is a specification.

The present application is a division of my application Serial Number 600,443, filed January 3rd, 1911.

The mvention relates to improvements in vapor electric apparatus having regard more particularly to means for controlling the gaseous conductor in such apparatus; to permitting the passage of heavy currents through the apparatus; to means for dissipating the internal heat generated in o ing vessel and the connecting of said condutors to the electrodes electrically; maintaining the positive electrode Within proper temperature limits; preventing short circuiting; properly controlling the cycle of' evaporation; securing and maintaining control of the condensation and return of the fluid of the electrode; maintaining the vacuum, and other matters are the subject of attention in the apparatus herein de- "scribed.

- The application refers more specifically to a rectifier for one wave or one impulse of the heavy current circuit, similar rectifiers being used for other supply impulses. Accordlngly, the device here shown as a rectifier may be regarded-as an electric valve controlling one wave of a supply system. This is not intended to exclude the duplication or multiplication of the anodes in a given vessel, whereby more than one wave may be made subject tocontrol.

The invention with which the present divlsional application is concerned is illustrated in a'single figure of drawing showing a form. of rectifier with special cooling arrangements. The left hand part of the drawmg 1s shown as a section through the rectlfier and the right hand portion as an elevation.

In the drawing 1 is a dome shaped gas tight inverted metal bowl restin upon a porcelain section, 2, and made tig 1t thereto by means of a mercury seal, 3. The container is closedby the base cap, 4, through which passes an auxiliary anode, 5, which is supported upon an insulating tube, 6, which terminates in a cup shaped portion, 7, providing for a mercury seal with a hollow boss, 8," forming part of the base cap or plate, 4. The lead, 9, of the auxiliary anode, 5, is connected at the bottom with a cup shaped portion, 10, which serves to provide a mercury seal with the insulating cup, 7. The external circuit is then connected tothe part 10 in any desired manner. The parts last described are held in close contact, say by one or more bolts, 11, passing through the bottom plate, 12, through an internally screw-threaded bushing, 13. The plate, 12, is connected by bolts, 14, 14, with a ring, 15, which, through the medium of a flange, 16, is inter-connected with the tank, 40, thus dividing the space inside the tank and outside the container into two parts with a horizontal plane of division between them. An insulating tube, 60, surrounds, for the most part, the mercury cathode, as clearly shown in the drawing.

A ring, 17, made in sections held together by a strap, 18, is pressed down upon a flange at the bottom of the dome shaped. bowl, 1, by means of bolts, 19, 19. When the bolts, 14, 14, and 19, 19, are tightened the parts 1, 2 and 4 are held firmly together with joints made as close and tight as possible. Into each of thestwo separate spaces in the tank, one above and one below the flange, 16, is introduced a cooling medium such as oil, or water, or glycerin, or a forced draft of air, In some instances natural air currents may be relied upon. The cooling means in the upper space, 41, serves to cool the metal portion, 1, of the container, which metal portion acts as an anode. The coolingfluid may be fed in at the enteringpipe,

. 20, and may pass out or be removed throu h heat from t e the exit, 21, after absorbing th t e con ainer.

anode or metal portion 6 If desired, the structure may be given sufii-.

' will take place largely in the lower section and be kept from the metalon the anode. This result is accomplished through the operation of the well known law by which condensable vapor in a 'ven space condenses entirely on the coo est exposed surface, even though a large quantity of heat be extracted from the vapor by other surfaces. Obviously, the vapor which is condensing in contact with the coolest exposed surface will I be saturated at that temperature, and, consemeans 0 quently, the vapor will not be saturated at the higher temperature of the other surfaces within the container and can not there condense. There are many modifications of the means which I have shown for accomplishing this purpose which will readily occur to persons skilled in the art and which come within the present invention. To further serve the pur oses of cooling, pi es or tubes 24 located within the body .of t e mercury of the cathode 25, which pipes may be trav-' ersed by cooling fluid as may be desired.

I claim as my invention: 1. The combination in a mercury vapor rectifier, of an anode near the top thereof, a mercury cathode near the bottom thereof, erated at a selected temperature for cool1ng the upper portion of the container and independent means operated at a slightly lower temperature for cooling the,

bottom portion of the container, whereby condensation of vapor within the container occurs at the lower part thereof.

2. A container for a mercury vapor recti- I fier, comprising an upper condensing portion, a lower cathode portion, an intermediate insulating portion provided with a reentrant coil, and a mercury cathode at the lower portion of the container, whereby condensed mercury is prevented from flowing along the wall of said insulating portion.

3. A mercury vapor rectifier comprising a container, the upper portion of said container being of metal operating as a main. anode, the lower portion of sad container being also of metal, a mercury cathode resting thereon and an intermediate material in combination with a single centrally located -conducting portions, and an insulating auxiliary anode mounted on tube passin through said metal base portion, where y electrical connection to said auxiliary anode can be made from an externalcircuit. V

4. A cooling means for a vapor rectifier, comprising a tank, an upper chamber therein and means for cooling said upper chamber, a lower chamber and separate means for cooling said lower chamber, in combination witha diaphragm between the chambers serving to prevent the interfering of the upper and the lower cooling means.

5. A case fora mercury vapor rectifier, having three parts consisting of two con-3 ducting portions and an insulating band therebetween, in combination with an in-. sulatin auxiliary electrode lead assingthrou 1% one of said conducting portions.

6. container for a .vapor electric rectifier, having three parts, consistin of two conducting portions, and an insulatmg band therebetween, in combination with leads connecting with said conducting portions, whereby said portions operate as electrodes.

7. A containerfor avapor electric rectifier, having three parts, consisting of two band therebetween, in combination with lea s connectin with said conducting; portions, where y said portions operate as electrodes and liquid means for cooling said conduct ing portions.

A mercury vapor rectifier having a container, the major portion of which is of metal, a positive electrode therein and a an insulating negative electrode and a centrally located intermediate strip between the said electrodes, a hermetical seal uniting theseveral parts of the container, and independent means for cooling the respective electrodes.

9. A mercury vapor rectifier having a container, the major portion of which is of metal, a positive electrode and a negative electrode therein and a centrally located intermediate strip between said electrodes, the said parts constituting the container and be-. ing hermetically sealed with relation to each other, and means for maintaining said elec-- trodes at different temperatures.

10. In a vapor 'iectlfier, a suitable container includinga hollow shell of metal or other good conducting material, a belt or rin o insulatin material supporting the sai shell and a ase piece insulated from the said shell by the said belt or ring and a separate insulatin sleeve or ring extending into a hollow portlon of the first named belt or ring.

11. In a vapor rectifier, a suitable container including a hollow shell of metal or other ood conducting material, a belt or ring 0% insulatin material supporting thesaid shell and a ase iece insulated from the said shell by the sald belt orring and a separate insulating sleeve or ring extending into a hollow portlon of the first named belt or ring, all in combination with a cathode of mercury or other suitable material forming contact with the base piece.

12. In the container of a mercury vapor apparatus adapted to the rectification of large currents, an insulatin section comprising a single porcelain plece cylindrical in form, including an upper ground surface adapted for use in a mercury seal, a lower ground surface also adapted for use in a mercury seal, a ring flange surrounding and rising above said upper ground surface, thus forming an annular trough for sealing mercury, a downward projecting flange integral with said porcelain piece and located intermediate of said ground surfaces together with one or more hollow posts formed inte gral with and of the material of said section and communicating with the outside thereof. Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 27th day of March A. D. 1912.

PETER COOPER HEWITT. Witnesses:

IRVING M. OBRmGHT,

THOS. H. BROWN. 

